Final Project

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World Wars Documentaries

We will be designing, producing, and presenting documentaries on the half-century of crisis that occurred from 1900-1950. This period of war and economic collapse changed the world and set the stage for the thrilling, complex, and sometimes scary world we live in today. From technological to social to economic changes, these world wars - and the period of economic depression between them - created the national mindsets and international relationships known today. Follow the directions below to get started on your World Wars Independent Research Project.

  1. Scan the list below to find three topics that you would be interested in for an Independent Research Project. In your notebook, describe why you are interested in each topic.
  2. Narrow your choice to one topic for research.
  3. In your notebook, record the information you find in your textbook for your chosen topic. You must design a chart to organize your notes.
  4. In your notebook, write a paragraph convincing your research partner why your topic would be best to use for the IRP. Consider that you and your partner will be conducting further research, producing an iMovie, creating an activity for the class, and presenting on Wednesday, May 30th.
  5. Meet with your assigned partner, rank your top three choices, and turn in to Ms. Keever.
  6. This is your last grade for this class, and it is worth 500 points (Classwork: 200 points, Project: 200 points, Notebook: 100 points). Take it seriously and produce good work that is organized, thorough, and you can be proud of. Extra credit for any team with a product I will show future classes as an example of excellent work (i.e., nearly flawless quality, impressive use of technology, spellbinding storytelling, fascinating visuals, etc.).

Possible Topics:
WWI: Assassination of the Archduke and the steps toward war
World War (I & II) propaganda
World War (I & II) warfare and technology
WWI: The Lusitania and submarine warfare
World War (I & II) and women
WWI: Russian Revolution
League of Nations (WWI) and United Nations (WWII)
Effects of World War (I & II) in Africa, Asia and Latin America
Worldwide Great Depression
WWII: Mussolini, Hitler and Franco
WWII: Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Communist Party
WWII: Rise of anti-Semitism and the Holocaust
WWII: Germany's early success
WWII: Japanese expansion and Pearl Harbor
WWII: Defeating the Axis Powers
WWII: Bombing of Cities (London, Dresden, Tokyo, Hiroshima, Nagasaki)
Nuclear Age: Setting Up the Cold War

RUBRIC
Classwork (200 points)
 Project/Test (200 points)
 Notebook (100 points)
Brainstorming (25)
  • Did you record your three topic choices and reasons for your interest in each topic?

Textbook Notes (25)
  • Did you record the information on your topic available in your textbook?
  • Did you organize this information into a chart of your choosing?

Reliable Websites (25)
  • Did you have 5-6 websites for additional information?
  • Were those websites .gov, .edu, or other approved sources?
  • Did you avoid visiting Wikipedia, About.com, or Answers.com?

Team Work (25)
  • Did you and your partner cooperate?
  • Did you and your partner share the work evenly?

Use of Class Time (100)
  • Were both members working at all times ("I'm done with my part" = unacceptable)?
  • Was anyone on your team off topic or off task?
  • Was your team distracting others?
 Production Quality (50)
  • Does your finished product look professional?
  • Is the finished product polished and cohesive?
  • Are there any mistakes or glitches in the final product?

Relevant Audio & Visuals (50)
  • Are all photographs from the appropriate time period?
  • Are all images and music relevant to the narration?
  • Do interviews and reenactments contribute to or take away from the quality?

Storytelling (50)
  • Did your story follow an order that makes sense, or does it skip around in a confusing way?
  • Did your story follow the historical course of events?
  • Did you capture the drama and excitement of the times?

Audience Questions (50)
  • Was the audience interested enough to ask questions at the end?
  • Were you able to answer those questions based on your research?
 Storyboarding (50)
  • Did your team map out segments of your movie before producing them?
  • Did your team record these storyboards in a notebook?

Script Writing (50)
  • Did your team write out the script for each segment before producing it?
  • Did your team record these scripts in a notebook?